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National market update

February Pending Home Sales Rise

Washington, March 28, 2011 - Pending home sales increased in February but with notable regional variations, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator, rose 2.1 percent to 90.8, based on contracts signed in February, from 88.9 in January. More...Read more

Vacation- and Investment-Home Shares Hold Even in 2010

Washington, DC, March 30, 2011 - The market share of vacation- and investment-home sales1 held steady in 2010, although the sales volume declined with the overall market, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. More...
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National housing indicators

Existing home sales ()

4.88 million units*

Existing home median price ()

$156,100

Housing Starts ()

479,000 units*

New home sales ()

National economic indicators

Home ownership

4th Qtr 10

66.5%

4th Qtr 09

67.2%

The homeownership rate in the fourth quarter 2010 (66.5 percent) was lower than the fourth quarter 2009 rate (67.2 percent). In the Midwest, South, and West, the homeownership rates were lower than a year ago, while the Northeast showed no significant change from the corresponding fourth quarter 2009 rate.

New home sales

Feb 11

-16.9%

Jan 11

-9.6%

Sales of new one-family houses in February 2011 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 250,000. This is 16.9 percent below the revised January 2011 estimate of 301,000.

Source: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

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Regional market updates

View market statistics for your region.

Click on the links below to view data from two different industry sources. Choose information on local prices & state sales from any of 178 metropolitan housing markets prepared by the National Association of REALTORS® or information on sales & price activity from local area markets in 25 states prepared by Clarus MarketMetrics.

Local Sales & Price Activity

Denise Hackbarth

HOUSTON — (February 15, 2011) — Despite the bone-chilling winter weather, Houston's housing market heated up in January, recording the first increase in property sales since June 2010. Pricing also heated up in the first month of the new year, with the average price of single-family homes reaching the highest level ever for a January in Houston Read more

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Consumer tips & hot properties

5 Tips for Saving Energy in the Family Room

Reduce your electricity bills by systematically purging your family room of wasteful energy practices. Family room fun—a video game console, TV, DVR, DVD, and stereo system—comes at a cost reflected monthly in your energy bill. But you could save up to $130 a year in energy costs by recharging, reducing, and replacing energy-sapping electronics. More...Read more

Fit a Small Office in Your Small Home

Setting up a small office in your small home means finding new uses for closets and other tucked-away spaces. With more people working from home you should get creative by making rooms do double duty. More...Read more

5 Over-the-Top Home Security Devices

Robots, lasers, and other high-tech gear can keep your stuff safe over the holidays. ‘Tis the season when families bring home the hottest electronics and gifts—and then go on vacation. Not a shabby set-up for would-be burglars. More...Read more

Insurance for Your Home-Based Business

If you think your homeowners policy provides adequate insurance for your home-based business, think again. Most policies will provide a few hundred dollars for a business property damaged in a fire, burglary, or natural disaster. More...
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Way to Mow: Choosing the Right Lawn Mower for You

Jessica Groach, All About Lawns Columnist (Aug'06), says "If you're like most people, you have a love/hate relationship with your lawn. A properly maintained lawn can be a beautiful, relaxing place for your family to enjoy. Lawn care, however, can be a real pain in the grass--unless you invest in the right mower." More...
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Breathe Easy [and Healthy] During Your Remodel

Living through a major home remodel can turn anyone’s life topsy-turvy, but when you suffer from asthma, it can become a hazard to your health. More...Read more

Housing Trends eNewsletter is filled with U.S. Census Bureau key market indicators, consumer videos, blogs, a real estate glossary, mortgage rates and calculators, consumer articles, real estate radio, realtor.com® local community reports and local and national real estate sales and price activity provided by local MLSs and the National Association of REALTORS®.

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